Shoe-tip machine



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Patented Oct. 11, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE E. MOLYNEUX, 0F BAYONNE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION. OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF SHOE-TIP MACHINE.

Application filed March 11, 1920, Serial No. 365,102. Renewed November 19, 1926.

The invention relates to machines for assembling or for assembling and securing together a number of pieces of sheet material in which the pieces are simultaneously dclivered at a series of difi'erentpoints and are shifted from point to point after each.

delivery so that an assembly of the series of pieces is completed at the last point in the series at each delivery. \Vhile the invention is of more general application it has been developed with special reference to its use in assembling and securing together the vain and toe tip pieces of shoes and will be. furt er explained in connection with such use.

In another application for Letters Patent of the United States Serial No. 264,138, filed November-26. 1918. there is shown and described a machine for assembling and stitching together the several parts of a shoe-tip, such as a lining, a doubler and a tip, and the vamp, the several parts of the tip and the vamp being taken from magazines and superimposed, one upon another, in proper order, upon av conveyor by which each group or parts is presented to a stitching mechanism by which they are stitched together. It, in beginning the operation of such a machine, all of the pick-up fingers are operated together they will place on the convcyor. -in as many different positions thereon. at the first operation. one of each of the blanks. with the result (the conveyor moving forward at each operation) that there will first-be presented to the stitching mechanism a single blank. such as the leather tip, then two blanks, such as the leather tip and the vamp, then three blanks, such as the leather tip, the vam and the doubler, and eventually all four b anks. Not only, therefore, will the first three products of the machine be incomplete, but the numbers of blanks remaining in the several magazines will be unequal and. if the same number of blanks was placed originally in each magazine, as will be the case ordinarily. the last three products of the machine will also be incomplete because the contents of the three magazines nearestthe stitching mechanism will be successively exhausted at the stitching point before the contents of the fourth magazine are exhausted. To prevent such a difficulty in the operation. of the machine it has been sought to provide, by the present invention, means whereby the pick-up fingers shall come into operation successively so that, for example, the lining pick-up lingers shall first operate alone, then the lining and doubler fingers together, then the lining, doubler and vamp fingers together, and finally the lining. doubler, vamp and leather tip lingers together. In the machine of the application mentioned the pick-up fingers operate by suction and in accordance with the invention the lining, doubler and vamp fingers are out ofi from the suction pump or vacuum system at, the beginning of the operation of the machine and are successively placed in connection therewith, so that the tip finger first operates alone,- then the tip and vamp fingers together, then the tip, vamp and doubler fingers together, and finally the tip, vamp, doubler and lining fingers together. As the pick-up fingers do not function unless they are connected with the suction pump or vacuum system all of the fingers are permitted to have their normal movements even at the first operation. The invention will be more fully explained hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which it is illustrated and in which I Figure l is a view in side elevation of a machine like that described in said application for Letters Patent with the present improvement added, the vacuum connections between the several pick-up fingers and the controlling valve being shown somewhat diagrammatically, while aportion of the drivingrconnections are shown in section,

withsome parts broken away.

Figure 2 is a top view of the machine shown in Figure 1, partly in horizontal seC-' tion. 1

Figure 3 is a detail view, somewhat diagrammatic in its character, showing the vacuum pump, the controlling valve, the pick-up fingers and the connections between the pick-up fingers and the controlling valve, with the treadle and its connections for restoring the controlling devices to initial position, preparatory to starting the machine.

I s Figure 4 1s a top vlew, 1n detail and on".

a larger scale, of the suction controlling de-' I:

vices. Figure 5 is a view in section on the plan indicated by the broken line 5-5 of F igure 4.

Q newness Figure'fi is a detail view in section on the plane indicated by the broken line ti---fi of i ure 4.

igure 7 is a view in elevation of the devices shown in Figure 4 as seen from the right hand.

.Figure 8 is a detail view in perspective a of a portion of the controlling devices to be fill referred to.

Exceptas to the means for controlling the several pick-up fingers the machine shown inFigures 1 and 2 is Constructed and arranged to operate the same as the machine shown and described in said application for Letters Patent and will therefore be described only in a general way.-

The machine is'provided with a suitable frame a on which are mounted wheels or drums b, c and a, which su port and efi ect the travel of two conveyor cliains d, (Z and a third, intermediate chain cl, constituting the conveyor upon which the blanks are assembled by the pick-up fingers and by which they are presented to the stitching mechanism. A motor e drives, through suitable intermediate gearing, a longitudinal shaft 6 and, through other suitable gearing, the drums b, c and c of the conveyor chains. Presser chains f are arranged to co-operate with the conveyor chains (1 to hold the assembled parts of the tip together while they are being stitched and after they have been disengaged by the intermediate chain (2. The stitching mechanism is shown generally at g and is arranged to be moved and to be operated from the driving shaft through suitable intermedite mechanism. The magazines h, h, h and h", in which are placed, respectively, linings, doublers, Vamps and leather tips are located in proximity to the conveyor cl, d, the magazine It for the vamps being on the other side of the conveyor from the other three magazines. The pick-up and transferrin devices for each magazine comprise a suction finger i which is connected by a pipe 2' to a vacuum system in which a partial vacuum may be maintained by a suitable suction pump 6 The connection of all of the branch pipes i is controlled by a suitable valve, such as that shown at i in Figure 1, operated through suitable devices from a cam or eccentric i on the shaft so that the vacuum in the connection to each finger shall be broken or restored at the proper instant and simultaneously for all of the fingers. Each vacuum finger is carried by an arm 2'. mounted on a rock shaft 7' which receives longitudinal movement through suitable devices from the shaft e and is also rocked through suitable. devices from the shaft 6, so that in operation the pick-up finger i is pressed down upon the topmost blank or piece in the magazine and. the suction then being on, is raised and is moved inwardly over the conveyor and then depressing to deposit the blank or piece on the conveyor, the vacuum then being broken so as to release the blank or piece. All of the which is indicated generally at m in Figures' 1 and 2 and is shown in detail in Figures 48. The valve 2' is connected by a pipe i to the controlling device m and is connected by a pipez' to the suction pump i The controlling device m includes three valves m interposed in the connection between the pipe i and the respective branch pipes Z, each valve m being held open normally, as by a spring m so as to place the valve i and the corresponding pick-up finger i in comn'umication with the suction system, and each valve being also provided with a yielding plunger m which projects outside of the casing mt The three plnngers on stand in the samehorizontal plane and, when the operation of the machine begins, are acted upon by a sector a to hold the valves closed against the pressure of the springs m The sector it is carried by a lever n pivoted at n and provided, in the end of its short arm n, with :1 lug n which engages a slot 0 in a sleeve 0 fixed on a. longitudinally movable shaft 0 An arm 0 of the sleeve 0 carries a pin 0 which engages a screw-threaded sleeve 71 fixed on a shaft 77 which carries a gear p in engagement with a gear p on the driving shaft 0, so that the screw is rotated continuously when the machine is in operation. As shown clearly in Figures 4 and 7 the screw-thread is open at one end so that the pin may pass therefrom.

A pin 0 is driven through the shaft 0" and sleeve 0 and is acted upon by a spring 0 to hold the pin 0 normally in engagement with the screw 77. The free end of the pin 0" rests normally in a shallow notch I] formed in the dwell part of a cam which rests loosely on the arm 11" and has cheek pieces which are guided on the shaft 0 When the operation of the machine begins the parts are in the position shown in Figures 4, 5 and 7. with the pin 0 resting in the shallow notch I and in the pin 0 engaging the screw p. all of the valves in being held closed by the sector 1: so that the pick-up fingers tor the magazines h,

,2 and Ir are inoperative. The connections between the pick-up finger for-the magazine It and the vacuum system are not subject llli) to the action of the controller 111., but only to the action of the valve i so that at the proper instant after the operation of the machine begins the lining blank will be placed on the conveyor. As the operation of the machine continues and the screw p is rotated the sector a is moved so that, at the end of the first stage, the first valve m is permitted to open. thus placing the pick-up finger for the magazine It in connection with the vacuum system through the valve 2' so that the second or doubler blank will be superimposed on the lining blank already placed on the conveyor. In like manner the second and third valves m will be released in succession so that when the first lining blank has reached the stitching position there will have been superimposed thereon, in order, the doubler, the vamp and the leather. tip. 'lhrough the engagement of the pin with the shallow notch q of the cam and the fact that the cam rests upon the moving arm the cam itself will be moved along with the sleeve 0' and the shaft 0 in the same relative position with respect to the sleeve 0 as represented in Figure 4, until the leading cheek piece strikes the bearing 0 of the shaft 0 Then, the distance between the two cheek pieces (7 being greater than the length of the sleeve 0', the pin 0 will leave the shallow notch 9, will slide over the dwell q and will ride up on the lift of the cam. thereby rocking the sleeve 0 and shaft 0 on the axis of the shaft and disengaging the pin 0* from the screw p and stopping the movementof the sector it. Thereafter the machine will continue to operate as described in said application for Letters Patent. \Vhen the machine has been brought to rest after the blanks in the n'iagazines have becn exhausted and is to be re-started it is necessary to restore the parts of the controller to the positions shown in Fi 'ures 4 and T. For this purpose the shaft 0 is grooved, as at o. and is engaged by a forked lever r pivoted at r and connected through suitable linkage with a lever or pedal 9' so that the operator may draw the shaft 0 back to its initial position. thereby restoring the arm 0 and the pin 0 to their initial positions. During this movement the pin 0 is held out of engagement with the screw 2 by the in 0 which rests in the shallow notch q in the high part of the cam 1 The cam moves with the shaft 0 until the leading end of the cam strikes the bearing 0. when the pin is drawn out of the shallow notch q in the high part of the cam to the low part of the cam. thereby permitting the pin 0 again to engage the screw 7). In this manner the machine is placed in readiness for restarting.

It will be understood that various changes in details of construction and arrangement can be made to suit the requirements of use or convenience ofthe manufacturer and the invention, therefore, is not limited to the precise details of construction shown and described herein except as pointed out in the accompanying claims.

I claim as my invention:

1; In a machine of the character described the combination of a conveyor, several devices for placing on the conveyor at different points the parts to be conveyed, means for shifting the conveyor from point to point to collect the parts from the several devices, and a controlling mechanism actuated by the driving mechanism of the machine for causing the initial operation of the respective part placing devices in successive part placing cycles.

2. In a machine of the character described the combination of a conveyor, several pickup devices for picking up and placing on the conveyor at diflerent points the partsto be conveyed, means for shifting the conveyor from point to point to collect the parts from the several devices, and means actuated by the movement of the machine forefiecting the initial operations of the respective devices in succession.

3. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a conveyor, several devices for placing on the conveyor the parts to be conveyed, means for controlling the operation of said several devices, and ascrew driven by the operation of the machine and operative connections to said means whereby said devices become operative in succession.

4. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a conveyor, several dcvices for placing on the conveyor the parts to be conveyed, means for controlling the. operation of said several devices, and a screw driven by the operation of the machine and operative connections to said means whereby said devices become operative in succession, said operative connections including a swinging arm to engage said screw and means to disengage said arm from said screw.

5. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a conveyor, several devices for placing on the conveyor the parts to be conveyed, means for controlling the operation oi said several devices, a screw driven by the operation of the machine and operative connections to said means whereby said devices become operative in succession, said operative connections including a swinging arm to engage said screw, and a cam cooperating with said arm to disengage the same from the screw.

6. In a machine. of the character described, the combination of a conveyor, several vacuum pick-up fingers for placing'onthe conveyor the parts to be conveyed, a vacuum system to which said fingers are connected, and a controller for controlling the conneclllt) 'tions between the vacuum system and the through separate branches, valves for controlling the connection between the said branches and the'vacuum system, and means for permitting said valves to open in succession. v

8. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a conveyor, several vacuum pick-up fingers for placing on the conveyor the parts to be conveyed, a vacuum system to which said fingers are connected through separate branches, valves for controlling. the connection between the said branches and the vacuum system, a device acting normally to hold said valves closed, and means to move said device to permit said valves to open in succession.

9.. The combination of a series of vacuum pick-up fingers, a vacuum system to which said fingers are connected through separate branches, a series of valves to control said branches respectively, plungers co-operating with said valves respectively, .a sector to operating with said plungers to hold the valves closed, and means to shift said sector to permit said valves to 0 en in succession.

10. The combination 0' a series of valves, plungers co-operating with said valves respectively, a pivoted sector co-operating with said plungers to hold the valves closed and movable to permit said valves to open insuccession, and a screw and operative connections whereby said sector is moved.

11. The combination of a series of valves, plu'ngers co-operating with said valves respectively, a pivoted sector cooperating with said lungersto hold the valves closed and mova le to permit said valves to open in succession, a screw and operative connections whereby said sector is moved, said connections including a swinging arm in engagement with said screw, and means to disengage said arm from said screw.

12. The combination of a swinging arm to be actuated. a sliding and swinging arm with which the first mentioned arm is in operative engagement, a screw with which the second arm isin operative engagement, and means to disengage the second arm from the screw.

13. The combination of a swinging arm to be actuated, a sliding and swinging arm with which the first mentioned arm is in operative engagement, a screw with which the second arm is in operative engagement. and a cam in operative relation with said second arm to disengage the same from the screw.

14. The combination of a swinging arm to be actuated, a sliding and swinging arm with which the first mentioned arm'is in operative engagement, a screw with which the second.

arm is in operative engagement, and a cam operative engagement, a screw with which the second arm is in operative engagement, a. movable cam in operative relation with said second arm, and stops for co-operation with said cam to effect movement thereof with relation to said second swinging arm.

16. The combination of a swinging arm to be actuated, a shaft movable longitudinally and capable of oscillation, a screw parallel with said shaft, an arm fixed on said shaft in engagement with said screw, the hub of said arm being slotted for en+ gagem'ent with the first mentioned arm, a, cam in operative relation with said second arm to disengage the same from the screw, and means independent of the shaft to move said shaft longitudinally.

17. The combination of a swinging arm to be actuated, a shaft movable l ong itudi nally and capable of being oscillated, a screw parallel with said shaft, an arm fixed on said shaft in engagement with said screw, said arm being slotted for engagement with said first mentioned arm, a movable cam, a pin carried by said arm in operative relation with said cam, and means to limit the movement of said cam with respect to said 18. The combination of a swinging arm to be actuated, a shaft movable longitudinally and capable of being oscillated, a screw parallel with said shaft, an arm fixed on said shaft in engagement with said screw, said arm being slotted for engagement with said first mentioned arm, a movable cam, a pin carried by said arm in operative relation with said cam, and means independent of the screw to move said shaft longitudinally.

19. In a machine of the class described the combination of means for delivering a series of parts at different points. means for shifting the delivered parts from point to point along the series between successive opera tions of the delivery means to complete an assembly of all the parts in each operation of the delivery means, and means active during the assembling of an initial series of parts and inactive thereafter for delaying the delivery of the parts at each point until parts have been delivered at each of the pre ceding points in the series.

20. In a machine of the character despective delivery devices in succession.

21. In a machine of the character described the combination of a traveling work carrier, a series of magazines spaced along the path of travel of the carrier, a series of pick-up devices for picking up parts from the magazines and transferring them to the carrier, means for moving the carrier from magazine to magazine between successive operations of the transfer devices, and means operative when starting the transfer of the parts to the carrier for effecting the initial operations of the respective transfer devices in succession.

22. A machine for assembling and stitching together vamp and toe tip pieces having, in combination, a series of magazines for the vamp and toe tip pieces, a stitching mechanism, work carrying means movable from magazine to magazine to receive piece after piece from the magazines and resent them in assembled relation to the stitching mechanism, a series of transfer devices for transferring pieces from the magazines and placing them in assembled relation on the work carrying means, and means operative during the assembling of an initial series of pieces for initiating the operation of the respective transfer devices in successive transfer cycles.

23. In a machine of the character described, the combination of several devices for delivering a series of parts at difi'erent points, means for shifting the parts from point to point to complete an assembly of the parts for each operation of the delivery devices, and means operating on starting the machine to cause the several delivery devices to come into operation successively after each shift of the parts to cause a complete assembly of the parts at the initial operation of the delivery devices at the final delivery point.

This s ecification signed this 6th day of March, D. 1920.

GEORGE E. MOLYNEUX. 

